Quick Weeknight Desserts: Viennese Finger–Style Cookies in 15 Minutes

Beat the clock: Viennese-finger–style cookies in 15 minutes — no-chill, no fancy piping

Late after work, craving something buttery with your tea but short on time? You’re not alone. Weeknight baking needs recipes that are fast, forgiving and tasty. This simplified Viennese-finger–style cookie recipe skips the long chill and complicated star piping so you can have melt-in-the-mouth biscuits in about 15 minutes from start to first bite.

Why this matters for busy cooks in 2026

From late 2024 through 2025 home-baking evolved — people wanted faster, smaller-batch sweets that fit weekday schedules. Countertop ovens, air-fryer baking, and the “no-chill” cookie movement that dominated social feeds in 2025 made quick desserts mainstream. In 2026, practical tweaks are the competitive edge: techniques that preserve texture without extra hands-off time. This recipe follows that trend: it delivers the characteristic buttery crumb and chocolate-dipped ends of classic Viennese fingers, but in a fraction of the time.

Quick overview — the essentials (inverted pyramid)

• Total time: 15 minutes (5–7 min prep, 8–10 min bake, plus very short chocolate dip)
• Makes: ~18–22 small fingers (makes a small batch suitable for 1–2 people or a quick tea-time treat)
• Why it works: Smaller cookies bake faster and need less structural chilling; a small amount of cornstarch yields a melt-in-the-mouth crumb without refrigeration; spoon-shaping or simple bag-snipping replaces time-consuming star piping.

Ingredient list — simple and flexible

Use room-temperature ingredients for speed. Metric and US-friendly measures included.

• 140 g (10 tbsp) unsalted butter, very soft — or use plant-based stick butter for vegan/plant-based version
• 50 g (1/2 cup) icing (confectioners') sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 90 g (3/4 cup + 1 tbsp) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 40 g (about 1/3 cup) cornstarch (cornflour) — this gives the classic melt-in-the-mouth texture
• Pinch fine salt (omit if using salted butter)
• 30–40 g (1–1.5 oz) dark chocolate, chopped (for dipping) — or vegan chocolate
• Optional: 1–2 tsp milk (dairy or plant) if the dough needs a touch more lubrication to shape

Why cornstarch and why less flour?

Cornstarch is a classic Viennese-finger ingredient: it softens the protein structure and produces that delicate, crumbly texture. Reducing the flour and adding cornstarch lets the cookies set quickly in the oven without needing a long rest in the fridge.

Equipment — nothing fancy

• Baking sheet lined with parchment
• Small cookie scoop (optional) or 2 teaspoons
• Disposable piping bag or sturdy zip-top bag with the corner snipped (no star nozzle required)
• Microwave-safe bowl or small heatproof bowl for melting chocolate
• Rubber spatula and a small bowl for mixing

Step-by-step: 15-minute no-chill Viennese-finger–style cookies

Read through once, then preheat and start. You’ll be surprised how quickly this comes together.

1. Preheat and prep (1–2 minutes)

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C / 350°F (convection: 170°C / 340°F). Preheat first — timing depends on your oven, but this recipe assumes a preheated oven so baking is fast.
2. Line a baking tray with parchment. If you’re using a small countertop oven or air fryer, line the basket/tray with parchment cut to size.

2. Make dough (3–4 minutes)

1. Beat the very soft butter with the sifted icing sugar and vanilla until smooth. A fork and bowl work fine if you don’t want to use a hand mixer.
2. Fold in the flour, cornstarch and pinch of salt with a rubber spatula until just combined. The dough should be soft but able to hold a shape; if it feels too dry, add 1 teaspoon of milk — not more. If it’s too sticky to shape, dust lightly with a little extra icing sugar or chill for 5 minutes (only if absolutely needed).

3. Shape — three rapid options (choose one)

Traditional Viennese fingers use a star nozzle, but piping can slow you down. These options are fast and give the same look after baking.

1. Spoon-quenelle method (fastest, no bag): Using two teaspoons, scoop small oval quenelles (~10–12 g each) and quickly roll once between the spoons to form finger shapes on the parchment. Leave 2.5–3 cm / 1 inch between cookies.
2. Zip-bag snip (most consistent): Fill a zip-top bag with dough, snip a 1 cm corner, and pipe 5–6 cm fingers directly on the tray. The opening is wide enough to avoid hand cramps or burst bags.
3. Straight roll method: Roll the dough briefly into a log on a lightly floured surface and slice into equal pieces. Roll each piece into a quick finger on the counter and place on tray.

4. Bake (8–10 minutes)

Bake in the preheated oven for 8–10 minutes until the edges are just set and the cookies look gently pale. These are small biscuits — you’re aiming for delicate set rather than color.

Tip: If using a convection oven or air fryer, check around 7–8 minutes — they’ll brown faster due to circulating heat.

5. Chocolate dip (1–2 minutes active)

1. While the cookies cool on the tray for 2 minutes, microwave the chocolate in 20–30 second bursts, stirring between, until smooth. For glossy coating, stir in 1 teaspoon neutral oil (sunflower or light olive) if desired.
2. Dip one end of each cooled cookie into chocolate and place on parchment until the chocolate sets. You can speed setting by popping tray into the fridge for 2–3 minutes — optional and quick.

Quick tip: Because these are small and thin, they set fast — the chocolate won’t cause them to lose shape if you dip after a brief cool-down.

Why this shortcut works (the technique explained)

This recipe leans on three principles that let us skip chilling and complex piping while keeping the expected texture:

• Size scaling: Small fingers bake quickly, so the dough doesn’t need a long rest to hold shape.
• Cornstarch balance: Cornstarch reduces gluten formation, giving a tender crumb that melts without refrigeration.
• Shaping options: Spoon-quenelling and zip-bag snips create consistent shapes fast — you get the look without a star nozzle and lengthy piping practice.

Troubleshooting — quick fixes

• Dough too soft and spreading too much: Reduce oven temp by 10–20°F (5–10°C) and bake a little longer, or firm the dough for 5 minutes in the freezer — that still keeps total time low.
• Dough crumbly and won’t form fingers: Add 1 teaspoon milk and knead briefly to bring it together. Use bag-snipping if shaping by hand is hard.
• Cookies too pale after 10 minutes: Increase bake time by 1–2 minutes; every oven is different.
• Chocolate not setting quickly: Add a teaspoon of neutral oil for gloss and thinness; or chill for 2–3 minutes.

Variations & dietary swaps

• Vegan/plant-based: Use plant-based stick butter and vegan dark chocolate. Many vegan margarines work well if they’re solid at room temperature.
• Gluten-free: Replace plain flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking mix, keeping the cornstarch. Add 1/8 tsp xanthan gum if your mix lacks it to help with structure.
• Less sugar: Use powdered erythritol or allulose in a 1:1 conversion with icing sugar for a lower-sugar treat (follow manufacturer guidance for texture differences).
• Flavor twists: Add 1/4 tsp instant espresso to the butter for mocha notes, or fold 1 tbsp ground almond for a richer mouthfeel (reduce flour slightly).

Storage & make-ahead tips

• Store at room temperature in an airtight tin for up to 3 days; the texture is best within the first 48 hours.
• Freeze baked cookies (undipped) for up to 1 month; thaw and dip in chocolate when needed. Alternatively freeze shaped raw fingers on a tray and transfer to a bag; bake from frozen with an extra 1–2 minutes.

Air fryer adaptation (2026 kitchen hack)

Air-fryer baking continued to rise through 2025 and is a staple in many 2026 kitchens. For air-fryer users:

• Preheat air fryer to 165–170°C (330–340°F).
• Arrange small fingers in a single layer (don’t crowd). Bake 6–8 minutes, checking at 6 minutes.
• Use the microwave chocolate dip same as above.

How I tested this — real-world results

In private testing I made three small batches using different shaping methods: piped star-nozzle (traditional), zip-bag snip, and spoon-quenelled. The spoon and zip methods produced the fastest turnaround with negligible difference in mouthfeel. The cornstarch ratio reliably produced a tender crumb that matched the classic profile. The no-chill approach held shape when cookies were small and baked promptly in a preheated oven.

Tips from the pros (quick takeaways)

• Preheat fully: Fast baking depends on a hot oven.
• Keep them small: Smaller cookies = shorter bake and no chill required.
• Use cornstarch: It’s the secret to that melt-in-the-mouth texture without refrigeration.
• Don’t overwork dough: Handle just enough to bring it together — overworking can toughen the crumb.

Why quick desserts like this will be on more weeknight menus in 2026

Trends from 2025 into 2026 show a sustained appetite for convenient, high-quality home desserts that don’t require weekend-level prep. People are baking more in smaller batches, embracing countertop appliances, and using technique tweaks (like the cornstarch trick and spoon-shaping) to keep his/her-time demands realistic. This Viennese-finger–style shortcut fits perfectly into that world: it’s fast, flexible, and still indulgent.

Printable quick recipe (copy & go)

Follow this condensed version when you need to make them fast.

1. Preheat oven 180°C / 350°F. Line tray.
2. Beat 140 g very soft butter + 50 g icing sugar + 1 tsp vanilla until smooth.
3. Fold in 90 g plain flour + 40 g cornstarch + pinch salt. Add 1 tsp milk if needed.
4. Shape into 18–22 small fingers using two spoons or a zip-top bag (snip 1 cm corner).
5. Bake 8–10 min. Cool 2 min.
6. Melt 30–40 g chocolate; dip ends. Let set.

Final notes & quick pairings

These fingers pair perfectly with strong black tea, an espresso, or a small scoop of vanilla ice cream for a slightly dressier dessert. For a modern 2026 twist, try dipping half the biscuit in white chocolate and scattering with freeze-dried raspberry crumbs — a quick flavor update that looks impressive.

Call to action

Give this no-chill Viennese-finger–style method a try tonight — and tell us which shaping method you used. Share a photo or tag us on social (we love seeing your weeknight wins). For more quick desserts and weeknight baking hacks updated for 2026, subscribe to our newsletter and grab our printable 15-minute dessert cheat sheet.

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